Tongue-support for vehicles.



S. L. BRYSON. TONGUE SUPPORT FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1914.

1,123,239. Patented Ja11.5, 1915 HE NORRIS PETERS CO.. F'HOTG-LITHIL,WASHINGTON. n 1" SAMUEL L. BRYSON, OF BATTLE CREEK, COLORADO.

TONGUE-SUPPORT FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

Application filed May 22, 1914. Serial No. 840,326.

To all whom it may concern Be it lmown that I, SAMUEL L. BRYSON, acitizen of the United States, residing at Battle Creek, in the county ofRoutt and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Tongue- Supports for Vehicles, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to tongue supports for vehicles.

The primary object of my invention resides in the provision of improvedmeans for supporting the tongue of a vehicle when not in use and hasimproved means cooperating therewith for retaining the support in aninoperative position.

Another object of my invention resides in the construction of theattaching means for the support, the attaching means being mounted onthe tongue.

A further object of my invention resides in the improved form ofretaining means having means formed thereon for limiting the movement ofthe same, the limiting means also serving in a capacity for preventingundue wear on the tongue.

A still further object of my invention resides in the provision of atongue support that is simple in construction, efficient in operationand one that can be manufactured and placed on the market at a minimumcost.

Other objects as well as the nature, characteristic features and scopeof my invention will be more readily understood from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings andpointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

Referring to the drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevational view of aportion of a tongue showing my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is'a-bottom plan view of the same; Fig. 8 is an end elevational view; Fig.4 1s a fragmentary elevational view of the supporting members and theattaching means therefor; and Fig. 5 is an elevational v ew of theretaining means for the supporting member.

Referring more partlcularly to the draw ings wherein similar referencenumerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views, Iprovide a tongue 1 of a vehicle with a pair of spaced openings 2 and 3and have detachably mounted through these openings the tongue supportand the retaining means therefor.

The tongue support which is generally designated a in this instancecomprises a securing element having a shank 5 for engagement with theopening, the upper end of which shank is screw threaded as at 6. Theopposite end of the element is split as at 7 and has the portionsthereof bent outwardly to form corresponding loops 8 for engagement withthe supporting members 9, the latter being engaged upon the loops beforethey are closed. The supporting members in this instance consist ofpieces of rod metal which have one of their ends bent to form loops 10for engagement with the loops 8 of the securing element and have theirfree ends sharpened to points 11 which facilitate the engagement of thesame with hard surfaces and prevent the same from slipping.

In attaching the shank 5 of the securing element in the opening 2 andfor the purpose of preventing undue wear on the tongue, I have disposeda washer 12 upon the shank and positioned the same between the undersurface of the tongue and the upper surface of the loops 8. The shank isinserted in the opening and another washer 13 is disposed about theupper screw threaded end before the nut 14 is engaged on the same forsecurely holding the attaching member in place.

For the purpose of retaining the supporting members 9 in an inoperativeposition I have secured the retaining means generally designated 15 inthe opening 3 which is positioned in alinement and in spaced relation tothe opening 2. The retaining element comprises a shank 16 having anannular collar 17 formed thereon at a point intermediate the ends of thesame, the upper end of which shank is screw threaded as at 18 and theopposite end is slit as at 19 and the portions adjacent the same arebent upwardly in opposite directions to form retaining hooks 20, thefree ends of which are arranged in suitable spaced relation with theunder surface of the collar to allow for the insertion of the supportingmembers 9 when the same are being placed within the members 20. The hookmembers 20 are disposed transversely across the under surface of thetongue and in spaced parallel relation with the loops 8. In attachingthe retaining means the screw threaded end of the shank v tongue likelyto be caused by the nut 22 I as 9new. h eade 0. the a 18 he epf .fsecurely holding the same in position. It can be easily seen that the,colla-r'17 besides preventing wear on the tongue limits the upwardmovement of the shank 16 when the same is being attached and allows forthe free insertion of the supporting members 9 into the hook members 20.For facilitating the attachment of draft animals to the tongue I haveprovided the outer end of the latter with a poletip 28 loosely carryinga ring '24: for engagement with a draft device.

The operation of my device is as follows :-When detaching ahorse from avehicle the supporting members9 are lifted from engagement with the hookmembers 20,

whereupon they drop downward about their" pivot point into engagementwith-the ground. Due to the weight of the tongue, the points '11 of themembers firmly engage the ground and prevent the same from slipping- Inthe event that it is down gradethe members can be swung at an angle toprevent the moving of the vehicle due to the universal connectionbetween the loops 8 and 10. 1

Although I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention it is to be understood that I am not limited to the exactdetails, however, I desire that great stress be laid upon the connectionbetween the supporting members and the attaching element and thecooperation of the retaining means therewith. Again, the collar 17serves the dual purpose of limiting the movement of the shank 16 andpreventing the undue wear on the tongue.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be readily seenthat Ihave provided a device that issimple in construction containing but a few simple parts that can becheaply manufactured and easily assembled and when assembled can beplaced on the market and sold at a minimum'cost.

It will be understood that the above description and accompanyingdrawings comprehend only'the general and preferred em- "copiel of thispatent may fpe obtained for bodiment of my invention and that variousminor changes in detail of construction, proportion and arrangement oftheparts may be made within "thescope of the appended claims and withoutsacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

I 9 im= 1. The combination with a tongue of a vehicle, vof a securingelement, loops formed upon the lower end of the element by slitting theelement and bending the portions adjameans for retaining said members inan inoperative position.

2. The combination with a tongue of a vehicle, of a securing velementattached there.- to, the lower end of saidielement being slit a d ha ngthe rerti ns djac nt t S rolled upon themselves to provide loops, Suppong m m rs r a d n ue, the uppe ds o a d s ppe i g-mem eing rolled uponthemselves to provide loops for engagement withthe loops of the securingelement for establishing a universal connectionbetweenthemembers and thetongue, said members being capable of movement both laterally andlongitudinally of the tongue, the free ends ',of saidmembers beingpointed tofacilitatethe engagement with the ground, and means forretaining said members in JELII inoperative position. i

3; The combination with a tongue of a vehicle and a ,movably mountedsupport therefor, ,of a retaining means mountedon the tongue forreceiving the free ends of the support, said means including a shankforengagement with a fastening device, said shankprovided with means forlimiting the movement thereof, andhookmembers formed by slitting theoppositeend of the shank.

In testimony whereof I aflixmy. signature in presence of two witnesses.f'

e SAMUELIL. BBYSON. Witnesses: t

J. M. LE ons, HARRY BRYSON.

Washington, D. 0.

